1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optically active fluorine-containing compound. More particulary, it pertains to an optically active fluorine-containing compound useful as raw materials for various chemical agents, industrial chemicals, ferroelectric liquid crystals and the like.
2. Description of the Related Arts
As there has been a steady rise in the utilization of liquid crystals in recent years, the development of a liquid crystal having novel structure has been desired.
The research group of the present inventors has hitherto succeeded in the development of a variety of optically active fluorine-containing compounds that are utilizable as the liquid crystals (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 83074/1989, 163143/1989, 233243/1989, 233244/1989, 49743/1990, 167252/1990, 232208/1990, 232209/1990, etc.).
Under such circumstances, intensive research was concentrated by the present inventors on the purpose of developing a novel optically active compound having a tetrahydropyran ring which is of great promise as a new type of liquid crystal.
As a result, it has been found by the present inventors that the aforesaid purpose is attained with a novel compound having a fluoroalkyl group with a remarkable electron-attracting property in itself at the asymmetric carbon atom in a tetrahydropyran ring. The present invention has been accomplished on the basis of the above-mentioned finding and information.